Circulatory disorders are often the result of hardening of the arteries. You can find out here what causes so-called arteriosclerosis and thus also damages our blood vessels. These are the 6 most common causes of circulatory disorders.
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What are circulatory disorders?
Circulatory disorders are an arterial disease ( PAOD ) in which the blood vessels are impermeable, so that less blood can pass through. Hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis) is usually the cause of the circulatory disorders, which can become life-threatening. This is because the oxygen supply to the muscles suffers due to the deteriorated blood flow. A permanent lack of supply can cause functional restrictions and organ damage. The body tissue cut off from the blood flow can die in severe cases. Circulatory disorders in the heart can lead to coronary heart disease and, in extreme cases, to a heart attack. In the intestine, an intestinal infarction or paralysis can also threaten.
How do I know if I have a circulatory disorder?
Atherosclerosis develops gradually over decades and usually only causes problems in old age. If the heart vessels are affected, this is noticeable through chest pain or a feeling of tightness. If the carotid artery is blocked and there is a risk of a stroke, speech disorders or paralysis occur, among other things. If the extremities are affected, they may be painful, numb or pale when exerted. Doctors divide this peripheral arterial disease into four stages – depending on the discomfort and pain that the affected person has.
These 6 risks favor circulatory disorders
1. Unhealthy diet
As already mentioned, circulatory disorders are favored by hardening of the arteries. These vascular changes are caused by cholesterol deposits. Certain foods, such as animal-based dairy products, processed meats, refined sugars, and processed foods, are high in saturated fat, which raises our blood lipid levels and therefore our “bad” LDL cholesterol levels. For this reason, you should avoid these foods whenever possible and instead consume fresh and unprocessed foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts and seeds, and vegetable oils.
2. Little exercise
We’ve known it for a long time: we sit far too much every day and move too little. The lack of exercise has an impact on our blood flow and therefore also on our health. The consequences include an increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes or Alzheimer’s. Because when we exercise, our muscles are trained and our blood vessels are supplied with more oxygen, so that they remain elastic. In addition, endurance sports such as jogging, cycling or swimming regulate our sugar metabolism and lower our blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
3. Overweight
Everyone knows that obesity is bad for our health. The extra pounds damage our blood circulation, since overweight people have more blood than people of normal weight. This means more work for our heart and it has to beat harder. This leads to increased blood pressure in the long term. Obesity is usually the result of a high-fat and high-calorie diet. As we already know, such an unhealthy diet can lead to increased LDL cholesterol levels, which in turn lead to vascular deposits.
4. Smoking
Also known for a long time: Smoking constricts your arteries. With every cigarette you inhale carbon monoxide (CO), which makes it difficult for your blood to absorb oxygen. Carbon monoxide binds more readily to red blood cells called erythrocytes than to oxygen. These can then not transport oxygen to the tissue. Also, smokers have more red blood cells to compensate for the carbon monoxide poisoned blood cells. As a result, the blood thickens and flows more slowly through the arteries and veins. This makes it easier for blood clots to form, which can cause thrombosis. In addition, nicotine also changes the composition of the blood. Enough reasons to quit smoking.
5. Alcohol
Alcohol is also harmful to our health and can contribute to hardening of the arteries, among other things. In the long run, it can cause increased blood pressure, which in turn affects the blood vessels. High blood pressure is also considered a risk factor for other diseases such as a heart attack or stroke. Another important aspect: Alcohol promotes inflammation in the body, which also causes arteriosclerosis. In addition, regular and excessive alcohol consumption can damage our brain and attack the liver cells, which leads to the organ becoming fatty.
6. Diabetes
Another risk of poor circulation is diabetes mellitus . Because a blood sugar level that has been poorly adjusted over the years causes sugar-protein compounds to form on the vessel walls, which impair the blood supply. It is therefore all the more important for diabetics to have their family doctor check their weight, blood sugar and blood pressure regularly (about every three months). In addition, diabetes patients should have their blood lipid levels checked about every one to two years due to their increased risk of arteriosclerosis.
